Standing Committee Update

To Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of El Camino Real

In the month since our last Standing Committee Update, a great deal has been happening behind the scenes. Much has been accomplished in the area of diocesan administration and finances, and you will receive more information about that work in next week’s Update. In this Update, we want to report to you about progress in three areas: (1) strengthening the diocese; (2) supporting congregations; (3) preparing for the future

(1) Strengthening the Diocese: the Standing Committee and other diocesan leaders have planned a series of events and processes to help us clarify our values, goals, and vision for ministry.

September 11: Forgiving the Past, Living into the Future. This day-long conference, for laity and clergy, will focus on forgiveness and reconciliation as tools for Christian living and the key to our future together. The day will include worship, panel discussion, small group work, and time for personal reflection. After lunch, participants will begin to look at our future with such questions as, “What is the important work of this diocese?” The day will be hosted by All Saints’ Church, Carmel, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please mark your calendars and tell your friends!

November 13: Living into the Future, Embracing the Possibilities. Our second fall conference will focus on shared ministry. The Rev. Ron Reed and Mr. Dale Simison (who led last May’s Lay Conference), will return to help laity and clergy examine the implications of ministry shared by laity, deacons, priests and bishops. Participants will be able to continue (or to join) the good work begun at the Lay Conference in May. The conference will be held at St. Paul’s Church, Salinas, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Please mark your calendars and tell your friends!

Throughout the Fall: Living into the Future. A Conference Planning Team will develop and implement a long-term discovery process for laity and clergy. The process will be built upon an exploration of our diocesan history (in its various voices) and a review of our norms and values (both explicit and implicit). This process work is expected to yield significant data and stories that will help us understand God’s invitation to our future together. The Conference Planning Team, led by Ms. Ann Wright of the Standing Committee, will be composed of lay and clergy members. The Planning Team, which includes the Rev. Jan Wood (Canon Educator), the Rev. David Breuer (Chair of the Joint Process Committee), and the Rev. Tom Woodward (Chair of Strategic Planning), is now being formed.

(2) Supporting Congregations: the Standing Committee and diocesan staff have been working to improve our ability to serve the needs of every congregation in the diocese.

The Rev. Jan Wood, Canon Educator: For 14 years, Jan Wood has worked to support the spiritual formation and faith development of all in the diocese through program design and implementation, consultations, resource and referral, and companionship. This fall, Jan will add a new project: to visit a different congregation each Sunday. Sponsored and encouraged by the Standing Committee, Jan will come to worship with you and to spend time listening to how you fare, what you delight in, what you need, and how God is at work in your community. Through these visits, the Standing Committee and Canon Educator hope to strengthen communication between congregations and the diocese, and to improve the support that you receive for your ministries. Jan will be calling each congregation to arrange a date. If there is a particular Sunday you’d prefer, please contact Jan soon! Email janswood@ix.netcom.com or phone (831) 484-1747.
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The Rev. Brian Nordwick, Diocesan Administrator: Since he began serving the diocese last January, Brian Nordwick has worked to bring our diocesan business practices into conformance with accepted standards. He is also working with congregations to improve ongoing ministries and support new ventures, such as land purchase, building rental contracts, day care/pre-schools, fund raisers, mission/parish business plans, computer software, outreach/mission development, building repairs and maintenance solutions, etc. Brian enjoys his visits to congregations. If you have questions for Brian, would like a visit, or need help with current or future projects, please email bnordwick@redshift.com or phone (831) 394-4465.

(1) Preparing for the Future: We prepare for the diocesan future, of course, by improving the ways that the diocese serves its congregations and ongoing ministries. We also prepare for the future by finding gifted people to help us serve you. At the present time, the Standing Committee is focusing on locating an Assisting Bishop to work with us and help guide us into our future.

Interviewing Candidates: The Standing Committee has received the names of several bishops who are available to serve as our Assisting Bishop. This month, we will be interviewing these candidates, seeking the person who has the gifts we need.

Questions for Assisting Bishops: We hope to have our Assisting Bishop with us by November, to begin working with us and to participate in our second diocesan conference, “Living into the Future, Embracing the Possibilities.” We want you to see the questions we are asking each candidate:

(1) The role of Assisting Bishop for the Diocese of El Camino Real will have many dimensions and call for a number of spiritual gifts. Please tell us what has given you the most satisfaction in your years of ministry.

(2) For a number of years, the Diocese of El Camino Real has experienced difficulties with communication between persons and between diocesan entities, which has led to poor coordination of its ministries. How would you work with the Standing Committee to model collegial relationships and effective communication between a bishop and diocesan leaders?

(3) There are a number of clergy, both priests and deacons, who feel hurt by past events in the diocese. What concrete steps would you take to serve as pastor to all the clergy of the diocese, and how would you help them strengthen the bonds of mutual trust and collegiality?

(4) The Diocese of El Camino Real extends from San Mateo to San Luis Obispo County, and encompasses a number of cultures from Anglo to Latino to Asian and Native American. Members of all ethnic groups are striving to learn how to reach out to the multicultural communities in which they minister. How could you help our clergy and lay leaders learn how to evangelize in a multicultural context?

(5) We have observed that the ministry of a bishop is never-ending and often lonely. What do you do for recreation? To whom do you turn for collegial relationships and support?

We have received faithful and thoughtful answers to these questions from each candidate for Assisting Bishop. We invite you to consider the questions as well, and to write us if you have comments.

Standing Committee Updates are intended for members of the Diocese of El Camino Real, and are posted on the diocesan web site, www.ecrweb.org. They are designed for distribution and discussion in all congregations and deaneries. They are not intended for publication in the public media. If you have an address to add to the mailing list, write standingcom@redshift.com.